Author Archives: Joel D. Hirst

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About Joel D. Hirst

Joel D. Hirst is a novelist and a playwright. His most recently released work is "The Unraveling" -- a novel about how it all came apart. He has also written "An Excess of Nationalism", a novel about Soviet Armenia. "Dreams of the Defeated: A Play in Two Acts" is about a political prisoner in a dystopian regime. And "I, Charles, From the Camps" is the story of a young man from the African camps. "Lords of Misrule" is the an epic tale about the making and unmaking of a jihadist in the Sahara. Finally, Hirst has re-published his "San Porfirio" series into one volume "The Epic Tale of Revolutionary Venezuela", about the rise and fall of socialist Venezuela (with magic).

Blue Ridge Mountains

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

They’re not really mountains at all, from somebody who grew up in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, soaring 24,000 feet above. But they have tremendous charm; they are old, and as they roll back and back you can get … Continue reading →

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Jesus — The Mandylion

Posted on June 21, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Early in the first century King Abgar V of Edessa was sick. He heard of a holy man in Jerusalem, named Jesus, and sent his messenger and his court portraitist to invite Jesus to Edessa. Abgar could not cross Roman … Continue reading →

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Girl With Glasses

Posted on June 13, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

My wife said she seems like somebody who would get offended easy 🙂 — But I think the glasses softened her. This is painting number 100. They are now hanging in the office of a U.S. Senator, in the office … Continue reading →

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Piazza San Marco

Posted on June 8, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

In Venice — https://www.artpal.com/joeldhirst/?i=319328-7

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Woman With Nose Ring

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

This one got a little weird, but it’s sort of striking. https://www.artpal.com/joeldhirst/?i=319328-21

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Reflections On My Last 5 Years

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

“Pretty soon my five years in the Senate will be coming to an end. On a trip to Mexico, the U.S. Ambassador was introducing the Senator and said, “Everything of any significance to the life of our nation goes through … Continue reading →

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Tuareg Woman

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

The Tuareg are deep desert Berbers, who live in the Sahara. They have been there since pre-history, probably from days when the Sahara was green and lush. They believe that they are the original Egyptians who built the pyramids, pushed … Continue reading →

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Haunted

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Be honest sometimes you feel like this. You can purchase it here, if you want: https://www.artpal.com/joeldhirst/?i=319328-41

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Sankore Place, Timbuktu

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

The center of Timbuktu is a flat sandy area called Sankore Place, under the Sankore Mosque which used to host the famous Sankore University 700 years ago. There, 20,000 people came from all over the Muslim world to study using … Continue reading →

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I’m Back — Sort Of…

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

OK, some thoughts on a Sunday morning in Spring: here goes. I’m returning this site to public viewing. Mostly as another place for people to find my novels, books, and paintings, or to give updates. I took all my previous … Continue reading →

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